Automatic current-control and brake-valve mechanism



w. GARDINER. AUTOMATIC CURRENT CONTROL AND BRAKE VALVE MECHANISM.

Patented Nov. 30,1920.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 16, 191B.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1- mvENToR m'llzam Ga dincr WITNESSES I WJM ATTORN EY W. GARDINER.

AUTOMATIC CURRENT CONTROL AND BRAKE VALVE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16. 191B.

3 SHEETSSHEEI 2.

1 ,360,918, Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

10 :5 a veralvd \NVENTOR WITNE William Gardiner BY WMM ATTORN EY Door ap flalt d w. GARDINER.

' AUTOMATIC CURRENT CQNTRQL AND BRAKE VALVE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16; 1918. 1,360,918. Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEEI 3- /IIII I TIII/III mm mm lNVENTOR William Gardiner fixw m A'ITQRNEY Automatic Current-Control UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

5 WILLIAM GARDINER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Application filed February 16, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM GARDINER, a citizen of the United States, residing at 409 N. State St., Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an and Brake- Valve Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an electric street our system or automatic pick up, and has for one object, the protection of the motors from too strong a current by automatically feeding the current as the car gains spee The car will gain speed as quickly as the motor can stand more current. Another object of the invention is to cause an automatic application of the brakes and opening of the circuit breaker upon operation of the conduc tors emergency valve, or by throwing controller handle to extreme or last point in either direction.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a systemby which the power current Will be automatically cut off upon releasing of the air brakes to make it impossible to start the car without first releasing the brakes on closed cars.

A further object resides in the provision of the system of the above stated character which will prevent starting of the car before the doors are closed.

\Vith the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel arrangement of cooperating elements as hereinafter more specifically set forth, pointed out in the claims and shown in :the accompanying drawings. 7

In the drawings forming a part of this application, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the, several views,

Figure 1, is a diagrammatic View of the complete invention,

Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section through a car equipped with myinvention to showthe relative positions of theprineipal parts,

Fig. 3, is a detail section through the ammeter, substantially on the plane of line 33 of Fig.

Fig. fl, isa detail section through a con- Speciflcation of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

Serial No. 217,566.

troller and parts connected therewith, substantially on the plane of line 4.4: of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5, is a detail vertical section substantially on the plane of 55 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6, is a detail plan view of the internal gear wheel of the escapement of the current feeding mechanism for the controller,

Fig. 7, is a detail plan view of the controller with the outer casing removed and the arcuate resetting member for the escapement or current feeding mechanism for the controller, shown in section,

Fig. 8, is a detail vertical section on line 8-8 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, 1 designates the current conducting wire carried by the trolley pole 2 and connected with the rheostat 3.

The wire leading from the rheostat will be tact members 8 and 9 are formed in inner and outer sections insulated from one'another, as shown at 19, and are secured together by fastening members 21. The movable contact member 8 is provided with a. contact pin 23 which is adapted for engagement with the needle 5 of the ammeter '6. A similar contact pin25 is carried by the inner section of the movable contactmember 9 and is adapted for engagement by the needle 5 when the latter moved to position against=thesame thereby completing .a circuit from the needle 5 to the .stationary contact plate 11. 1

The branches 27 and 28 of the X-wire lead-respectively from the stationary contact plate 11 and the movable contact plate 12. The wire 27 connects with the magnet or solenoid '29'of the main circuit breaker of the system, while wire 28 connects with a guideBO mounted on the side of the air brake cylinder 31 and in the form of an auxiliary cylinder around an opening in said side of the air brake cylinder 31. The wire 28 is thereby grounded on the cylinder 31.

The wire 32 leads from the ma net 29 and may be termed a branch of the it -w. said wire 32 leading to the main branch of the Y-wire which connects with the grounced wire as previously stated.

A piston 33 is mounted in the guide der 30 and has a piston rod wo through guides 35 po 1911M: around guide cylinder 30. contact member is mounted upon and insulated from said piston rod 3% and also from guide members 35. The piston 33 is forced upwardly by the air pressure within the air brake cylinder when the brakes are appli d, but when the brakes are released and the pressure within the cylinder 31 is thereby reduced a spring 37 surroundin the upper portion oi tire piston rod 3% will serve to force the same downwardly and cause reengagenlent of the contact member 36 with the guide cylinder 30, thereby permitting the current to again pass through the branch wire connected with the contact member 36 and by w of the branch wire 38. pass over to the QlQCZlO- magnet 39 and then to the bracket by way of the branch wire ll.

The electroanagnet when energized will attract the bar 4-2 on one end of the reciprocating escapement pav- -1 which has a spring 44. for resiliently s r-2 in spaced relation with the elect net 3 The end of the escap/ is beveled and adapted for en agent the peripheral teeth arra -ged series on the escapement wheel w latter is mounted upon the rotary shalt l7. Beneath the wheel a second wheel 48 is mounted upon the shaft 4!" and has internal rounded teeth 9 for engagement by the downwardly directed offset lower e2; tremity 50 of the depending branch arm 51 oi? the pawl l3. The teeth are arranged in such a manner however, that when the pawl a3 is engaged with one of the teeth to of the wheel $6, the lower extremity oi the branch arm 51 will be facing the rounded portion of one oi the teeth in the wheel 48 and when the pawl d3 is lttPC d l y the electro-magnet 39, said lor-rer OX of the branch arm 51 will move to pos tion between two of the teeth at and hereby prevent the shaft l? from rotating more than one notch or one tooth ot the wheel do. the object of which will presently be apparent.

It will be understood tl it a suitable spring 52 is provided for rotating the shatt 17 in the proper direction and the bo y of the wheel 48 is upon the web provided for me vent interference oi the web with the bran h arm 51 of the pawl 43. Beneath the wheel -8 the wheel or disk 53 is mounted upon the aft 4:7 as part of the controller and serves 0 feed the current to the contact members l arranged in a series around the same, a :ortion of the periphery of the wheel or disk 53 being insulated, as shown at *3 is insulated from .27. All of the periphry of wheel ib is insulated except the h ulder oi the notches which fit up against pawl There is no contact until the l 13 fits up squarely against the shoulder ot' the notches 525. The wires 58 lead from contact members to contact members 59 in the usual manner. arranged around the rut vay or channel 60 for the contact or depending portion 61 of the controller handle 62, which portion 1 eng 5 i the spaced contact points 59, which hereafter be termed the points 59 ct th' controller, and the contactbar 63. w ch has electrial connection with the i -wire. by ii ans of the branch wire b l. Contact members 54 must be directly under the notches in the periphery of wheel 26, which correspond in space to one notch on a controller, said contact members 54- are held closely to the periphery of the disk 53 by suitable springs. Two extra points are provided at one end of the series of contact points 59 and one at the other end and one of these extra points will be hereafter termed t oil-point ("3. The other extra points he termed the ncy valve opc )plying poin-s 66. (inc meuti points is located on d of the series of po' Ll a wire electrical connections A branch (3 of the X-w'u from one of the emergency valve operatnuz and brake applying points 65 to a rotary shaft 69 which alsrfserros us the valve stem of the air brake cylinder cock. This part oi the invention will now be described in detail.

A pinion 70 is loosely mounted upon the shaft 69 and adapted for engagement at times by the rack teeth 71 on the reciprocating bar 72 which is connected to a door of the car, and which door (not shown) may be either a sliding door or a swinging door. An arm 73 projects radially from thc shaft 69 and has a beveled end adapted to catch behind the latch member 7%. formed on one end of the pivoted bar 75, the opposite or free end 7 6 of which is adapted to serve as an armature to be attracted by the magnet 77 when the latter is energized. A wire 78 connects the pivot of the bar with the magnet 77 and the branch 7 9 of the X-wire connects the magnet 77 with another l U U lit) brancli 80' of the X-wire. one end of the a pinion with the shaft 69 when rotated in one direction, but leaving the pinion free to rotate upon the shaft 69 in the opposite direction. The purpose of this will presently be apparent. The shaft 69 extends through a branch pipe 82 projecting from the air brake cylinder 31 and valve 83 is formed upon the shaft 69 within the pipe 82 to serve as a drain valve or drain cock. spring 84 is provided for rotating the shaft 69 in one direction when the arm 73 is re leased from the catch 74, thereby closing the valve or drain cock 83.

The remaining end of the branch wire connects with the magnet 85 employed for resetting the main circuit breaker 86, the pivoted member or main member of which has an extension 87 adapted to be attracted by the magnet 85 when the latter is'energized. A connecting wire 88 is employed to connect the magnet 85 with the main or ivoted member of the circuit breaker 86. Vires 89 of the main circuit are connected with the two parts or the pivoted and the stationary parts of the circuit breaker 86.

A spring arm 90 is also employed for engagement with the depending portion 87 of the circuit breaker when the latter is open and the spring arm 90 is connected with the branch 68 of the Y-wire by a connectin branch wire 91. The notched arm 92 0% the pivoted member of the circuit breaker rests upon the upper end of the armature 93 when the circuit breaker is closed and said armature 93 is drawn from beneath the notched end 92 when the magnet 29 is energized, thereby releasing the pivoted member of the circuit breaker and causing the opening of the same. The armature 93 is held in its normal position by a spring 94.

The cord 95 of the conductors emergency valve is extended around a suitable guide roller 96and then fastened to the pivoted bar 97 which has a catch 98 formed at its opposite end for engagement with the arm 99 projecting radial y from the pinion 100, which is loosely mounted upon the shaft 101. A spring 102 is provided for rotating the pinion 100 and arm 99 upon the shaft 101 when said arm 99 is released from the catch 98 thereby throwing on the brakes and moving the arm 99 into engagement with the sto 103. c

K branch 104 of the Y-wire, leads from one of the contact points 66 of the controller to the magnet 105 opposite one portion of the pivoted bar 97 and a wire 106 connects the magnet 105 with the pivot member 107 of said pivoted bar 97. A branch 108 of the X-wire leads from the shaft 101 to the main branch of the X-wire thereby making it possible to complete a circuit through the magnet 105 when the catch 98 is engaged with the arm 99 by placing the controller handle on either of the contact points 66. A branch 109 of the X-wire connects the stop member 103 with the branch 27 of said X-wire, thereby throwing the main circuit breaker as the brakes are applied. The purpose of the connections just described will presently appear.

The controller handle works in the bifurcated arcuate resetting member 111, which has teeth 112 on the concave face of its lower portion and engaged with the peripheral teeth of the wheel 113 mounted on the controller shaft 47. As this shaft 47 rotates in a clockwise direction to advance the points of the controller, as the controller handle 62 is moved toward the highest or last point, the member 111 is moved in its are by the wheel113. When the controller handle 62 is returned, however, toward the first or primary point of the controller, the handle 62 en ages the connecting or'bight portion 114 o the member 111 and moves the latter with the handle, thereby rotating the wheel 113 in counter clockwise direction, returning the shaft 47 and all of the parts mounted upon the same to normal position. It will be understood that the member 111 works in a suitable guide groove in a supporting plate forming a part of the controller.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that the operation will be readily understood. It may be briefly stated, however, as follows The current passes from the main line cir" cuit through the rheostat 3 and then by way of the main branch of the wire, to the needle 5 of the ammeter 6. Under normal conditions, that is to say, if the current isnot too strong, the needle 5 will be engaged with the contactpin 23 of the member 8 and on to the contact plate 12, then to the wire 28. From this wire 28, the current will pass to the guide 30. The current passes to the electro-magnet 39 by way of X-wire branch 38 and from the electro-magnet 39 to the bracket 40, by way of the wire 41 and then to the shaft 47 by way of the pawl 43, provided the latter is not engaged with an insulated portion of the wheel 46. Passing through the shaft 47, the current leaves the disk 53 through one of the contact points 54 and wires 58to be conducted to the point 59. Theportion 61 of the controller handle 62 conducts the current across the gap between the point 59 and the contact bar 63 and the branch wire 64 conducts the current through the Y-wire, which leads to the ground, thus completing the circuit. As theelectro-magnet 39 is energized, and the bar 42 is drawn toward the same, thereby withdrawing the point of the pawl 43 from engagement with the wheel 46, the shaft 47 rotates one notch of the wheel 46. Then as the spring 44 and the teeth 49 of the wheel 48 return the pawl 43 to its normal position, the point of the pawl 43 catches in the next tooth of the the controller handle wheei e26. il ith the advance of each notch notches slowly to keep rrom startin with a jer then it c )0 thrown to the last notch wi I lamag s t niatic teen will sto strong. it is elieved tln tais port'on o L 1 out any runner or L1G device will l description.

ui closer is not broken or oceneu under normal conditions. Should be an excessive amount of current passg lllOL ll the ammeter, the needle 5 will be moved away from the contact pin 3. This will stop the automatic turning shaft el-T. it the system should h ve a shor circuit. needle 5 will engage with the contact 26 of member 9. This will change the course or" the current as it lea 'es the meter and cause the current to travel from the contact plate 11 to the branch wire 27 and through the magnet 29 and hack o the Y wire. energizing the magnet 29 and thereby releasing the pivoted member the main circuit break-er 86 and causing opening of the latter, thereby breaking the controller circuit through the controller.

Should the conductors emergency valve cord 95 be pulled to operate the conductcrs emergency valve, the arm 99 from the wheel 100 would be released, thereby p rmitting rotation of the shaft 101. This will move the arm 99 into engagement with the stop 103 permitting the current from the wire 108 to pass to the wire 199 and then through the magnet 29 to cause opening of the main circuit breaker.

It will be understood that utter operation of the conductors emergency valve, the shaft 101 may c returned to its normal position to again the 99 with the catch 98, by hand oi any suitable and well known means.

il hile rotation oi shaft 69 upon release ot tie arm 73 will cause closing of the air brake cylinder drain cock, as previously described. closing oi the door will cause the rack bar 72 to return the shaft 69 and drain cock to open position and engage the arm 73 with the catch 74-. The current will also pass over the wire 91, the spring 90., the wire 88, through the magnet 8:3 over the wire 80 to energize the magnet 85 and there bv return the main circuit breaker to normal or closed position it it be thrown. It will be unoerstood that the members 8 and 9 may be readily adjusted to any desired positions between the plates 11 and 12 oi the ammeter. It will also be apparent that this system is automatic in its operation and will not only nice the shaft 47 automatically as the ler handle moved from the first or starting point of the controller, but will ca automatic opening of the main cncuit when the current is too strong or when the controller handle is moved to its limit in either direction or the conductors emergency brake operated.

This automatic teed is especially adapted for the H type of controllers, but it can be sod on all kinds with a few alterations.

. halt l? is an extension of the main conr shatt of whatever type is used. Cylnder may be cut out and wire 28 lead i'rectly to magnet 39; then the brakes will iave nothing to do with the automatic feed.

t will be understood that while I have shown a specific arrangement and connection of parts for this system, I do not desire to be limited to the exact arrangement disclosed in this application, as many minor changes may be made in the system without departing from the spirit of the invention or t e scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

i 4%. automatic current control and brake valve .perating mechanism for an electric street car, comprising an ammeter, automatic actuating means for a controller, said means being controlled by a current passing through said ammeter, a circuit breaker in electrical connection with said ammeter, an emergency valve, electrical connections between said emergency valve and said circuh breaker to cause operation of the latter upon operation of said emergency valve.

a automatic current control and brake valve operating mechanism for an electric street car having an automatic means for the car controller, an animeter in the path ol 1 ain current through the controller, a circuit breaker in electrical connection with so 'd actuator and said ammeter, an air brake 1 guide cylinder having communion with said air brake cylinder, a piston within said guide cylinder. electrical connecti in ring from the actuator means for the controiler to said guide cylinder, electrical connections leading from said ammeter to said piston, s, 'd piston and guide cylinder being norn'ially insulated from one another. means for draining said air brake ndcr by closing the car door, and means .lor retu 1111;; the draining means to normal position upon throwing controller handle o'l't position.

An automatic current control and. brake valve operating mechanism for an electric street car comprising an ammeter arranged to receive the current from main line, an air brake cylinder, current actuator means "for the street car controller; a circuit breaker, electrical connections between said ammeter and said cont-roller actuator means,

means controlled by the pressure in the air brake cylinder to complete a circuit between said ammeter and said actuator means, electrical connections between said controller actuator and the main line circuit, said circuit breaker being connected with a controller circuit leading to said actuator, and means connected with said circuit breaker to cause a resetting of the latter.

4. An automatic current control and brake valve mechanism for an electric street car, the said street car having a controller, the street car also having air brakes and an air brake cylinder, an ammeter connected with the main circuit, current actuated means for automatically actuating said controller governed by the current passing through the ammcter, means adapted to be operated by closing of the car door to release the brakes and permit emptying of the air brake cylinder, a circuit breaker connected with said ammeter and with the actuator for the controller to automatically break the circuit upon an abnormal increase in the current passing through said ammeter, and means for resetting said circuit breaker automatically and electrically.

5. An automatic current control and brake valve mechanism comprising, in combination with an electric railway car having a controller and air brakes, and air brake cylinders; an ammeter electrically connected in the circuit of the main line, a controller including a series of contacts electrically connected with the air brakes and with the air brake cylinder, a controller circuit for said controller, a circuit breaker for the said controller circuit, the latter leading to the said ammeter, means within the said controller circuit to admit the current to the various contact points of the said controller, means within the said controller circuit to effect an opening of the said circuit breaker upon an increase in the strength of the current passing through the said ammeter, the said controller including a handle engageable with the contact points of the controller, means for causing an application of the air brakes when the said controller handle is engaged with certain of the said contact points of the controller, and means for automatically releasing the brakes upon movement of the door of the car.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM GARDINER.

Vitnesses:

W. H. CHADWICK, T. SCHOENBACHER. 

